Returns
by JadeSelena
Summary: Post 3x04 Pre 3x05; The infamous movie night; Mainly Gail/Dov, some Gail/Chris, mentions of Gail/Nick. Will be two parts.
1. Chapter 1

**So, it's been brought to my attention that I haven't posted anything in a while (including chapter 22 of God Help Her which is long overdue). My apologies - real life has been leaving me little time to write. I have been working on this one since 3x04 during what little time I've had because of course I couldn't pass up the 'movie night' plot bunny.**

**A couple of notes:**

**-A lot of you have been asking me for more Gail/Nick stories but they have their own fans who can do the pairing far more justice than I can. And Know-it-all Nick is kinda getting on my nerves. Sorry.**

**-I've seen 3x05 but not 3x06 - please no spoilers in replies**

**-This takes place after 3x04 (I know: I'm slow) so you'll have to forget the above-mentioned episodes happened**

**-I had Traci in time-out when I started writing this so she won't be making an appearance**

**-It ended up being much longer than I expected (par for my course lol) so I've broken it up into two chapters. Also, the second half is still being tweaked so I'd rather give you this now and the conclusion in a couple of days**

**-I will be back to working on God Help Her as soon as I'm done this one provided the last episode and the one coming up don't spur new plot bunnies I can't deny. That's the problem with writing during the season, really - I get easily distracted by new ideas.**

**-I hope you enjoy :)**

* * *

Dov grabbed two beers from the fridge, handing one to Chris and moving to the couch. "I was thinking we should invite the girls over for movie night tomorrow…"

Twisting the cap from his bottle Chris tossed it in the trash. "The girls?" he repeated faux-casually, wanting confirmation that it meant what he thought it meant before deciding how he felt _about_ it.

"_Yeah_." After his aversion to inviting them that morning Dov wasn't surprised Chris was confused. "Traci and Andy and…"

"And _Gail_," Chris finished as he sat on the other end of the couch. So much for Dov not wanting to hang out with them…

"Well, yeah." Bending his bottle-cap in half Dov flicked it at a spot on the wall; made a mental note to pick it up in case someone stepped on it. "I know she's a hard-ass but last I checked she's still a girl." The last time he'd checked being _months_ ago, of course…

Gail and Dov bringing it up on the same day made Chris think they'd already discussed it; like they'd secretly kept in touch the entire time… "Batman?"

"Uh…" Dov blinked at the non-sequitor, "I guess we could invite him, too…"

Chris dismissed his suspicions as paranoia; even if his best friend had been competition before – which he realized now was absurd – Dov was currently blissfully happy with Sue. And _Gail_ was… "I don't think we should."

Tipping his bottle Dov deadpanned, "You're right – he's probably busy anyway…" Whatever was going through Chris' head it clearly had to do with the girl whose name was as unofficially taboo as it was unavoidable sometimes. Like her bottle of peach shampoo in the bathroom that no one used yet somehow hadn't made its way into the garbage…

"No," Chris corrected, forcing himself to relax into the cushions. "_Gail_."

_Duh._ "You don't think she'd come?" Considering the continued tepid state of affairs Dov had to admit it was more than likely she would not-so-politely decline. They probably _would_ have a better chance with Bruce Wayne…

Chris couldn't say for sure either way; didn't trust himself to gauge her sincerity 'cause he'd already been proven wrong once that day. "I just don't think it's a good idea," he shrugged, what he hoped was nonchalantly.

Dov wouldn't disagree – having her home for the first time since all the drama was bound to be interesting (to put it mildly) – but Chris' lack of enthusiasm just didn't make sense. "This morning you wanted to party with her…"

And this _afternoon_ he'd thought there was a possibility they could start over… Taking a swig of beer Chris fought to keep the bitterness out of his tone. "Things change." He wasn't sure he could deal with her acting like she belonged there – him _feeling_ like she belonged there – knowing that at the end of the night she'd be going somewhere else. To _someone_ else.

"Did you guys have a fight?" That was another thing Dov hated about being on leave – he didn't even have the rumor mill to keep him (semi-accurately) apprised anymore.

"No." Chris almost wished they _had_, the fall from hopeful to crushed far more painful. Talking about it wouldn't do any good, though, so he quietly conceded, "It's fine. It'll be fun."

Dov wasn't buying it – things didn't change _that_ drastically over the course of twelve hours for no apparent reason. "Look, man, if you don't want her here just say so."

What Chris wanted didn't really matter, apparently. And if his best friend needed to have their friends over to help _him_ deal then that's what they would do. "It's fine." Putting his empty bottle on the coffee table he stood. "I'm going to take a shower. You should call her now before she makes other plans."

If Dov weren't so craven for some sense of normalcy (among other things) he would do what Chris obviously wanted and put the kibosh on the idea. Instead he got up to get his cell, picking up the bottle-cap on the way.

* * *

A knock sounded on the door and Dov took a calming breath before opening it to Gail and Andy.

"Hey, stranger," Andy smiled, happy to see him.

"Hey," he returned, moving aside to let them in. "What's with the bags?"

"We're making lasagna." Well, the blonde was making it; Andy was more menial labor slash moral support.

Feeling like she was walking into the mouth of the dragon Gail pushed by them into the kitchen. "I want the record to reflect I'm doing it against my will." Cooking _and _being there.

_And 'hello' to you, too…_

"You're the one who offered," Andy reminded her, following. "I'm just holding you to it." She was surprised at how little coaxing it had taken, actually. And that they weren't making hotdogs…

"Under _duress_." Dropping her bag and purse on the counter Gail pulled out the cutting board and a couple of knives. "I was hung over and wanted you all to shut up." Now she just wanted _it_ over.

Andy nudged the blonde's shoulder with her own, suspecting most of the indignation was a show for Dov's benefit. "Too bad, so sad."

Gail's eyes narrowed. "You might want to take this knife and get to chopping before I decide to use it on your smug-ass self…"

Emptying her bag of the vegetables Andy mocked, "Yes, _Chef_!"

"You need to stop watching reality TV…" Gail took out the pot and pans she would need for the sauce – at once pleased and pained that everything was still the way she'd left it – and started unpacking the rest of the food.

Dov watched silently as she navigated the kitchen like she'd never been gone; blinked at her when she held out a smaller paper bag. "What's this?"

"From now on you get a sudden hankering for candy?" Gail advised, eyebrow raised, "Get someone else to get it for you…"

A look in the bag revealed licorice and sour gummies. Not knowing what to say he offered, "You guys want a beer?"

"Sure," Andy accepted, tossing the first of the veggies into the hot pan.

"No." Getting shit-faced drunk would undoubtedly make the night easier but Gail was more worried about what she'd do or say _while_ under the influence. Dumping the ground beef in the second pan she added a belated, "Thanks."

Dov paused with his hand on the refrigerator door. "Do you want me to make something else?"

Gail shook her head without turning. She knew what he was suggesting; was having a hard enough time _without_ introducing that particular nostalgia to the evening. "I'll just take the beer."

The utter disinterest was like a slap in the face. "Okay."

Andy glanced at her friends, the tension in the room suddenly palpable. She'd had no clue things were still so weird between them; would have thought they'd resolved their issues in the many months since. Should have known better when it involved the _queen_ of avoidance…

Popping the tops off the bottles Dov handed Andy hers and placed Gail's beside her, then leaned back against the counter and downed half of his own in one breath. "So where's Traci?"

The cautious tone told Gail she'd managed to hurt his feelings without even meaning to. Giving him a haughty smirk she forced a teasing, "Taking over your title as Officer Buzz-kill…"

"_Detective _Buzz-kill…" Andy proudly corrected, adding the remaining vegetables while the blonde stirred the pans. "She's working a case but asked for a rain-check."

Dov nodded. Provided they all survived _this_ one… "Chris said she's doing really well..."

Andy's grin grew wider. "She's kicking _ass._"

Rolling her eyes Gail took the cans from the brunette as she opened them and scooped their contents into the pot. "Where is Chris, anyway?"

"He had some errands to run before coming home." _Ostensibly_ – Dov thought he was just avoiding their favorite ex-roommate for as long as he possibly could. "Sue went out with friends to let us catch up."

_How predictably perfect of her…_

The unsolicited information seemed to Andy to be – consciously or not – a calculated attempt to get a reaction out of the blonde. "Speaking of catching up," she interjected before he could get one he wasn't prepared for, "how are you doing?"

Dov shrugged. "Okay. Anxious to get back to work."

Andy handed Gail the appropriate spices. "So what's the holdup?" Realizing it wasn't the best choice of words she attached a mumbled, "_Sorry_."

"I need the department shrink to clear me." He left out the part where their first meeting had been a total waste of time and he hadn't been back _since_.

"Counseling is for losers," Gail volunteered with a wave of the hand. "Just tell him what he wants to hear so he'll sign off." _Easy peasy._

Dov found her assessment both comforting and daunting. "He wants to hear how I feel about what happened and how I'm adjusting…" She might be able to fake her way through that but he wasn't quite as convincing the actor.

"And?" Andy prompted, holding the colander over the sink so Gail could strain the cooked meat.

"_And_ I'm not big on sharing my feelings with a complete stranger." Been there, done that; didn't get a lousy t-shirt much less any closure…

Looking up from her task Gail 'helpfully' suggested, "Pop a couple of pills before your appointment – he won't be able to shut you up…"

Dov managed to suppress a flinch at her even stare. On the one hand: _ouch a_nd also_ touché._ On the other: it was the closest she'd come in months to even _acknowledging_ that night. Taking it as progress (of a sort) he decided not to ruin it by mentioning that (so far as he could recall) she hadn't tried very hard _to _shut him up…

Andy gently elbowed the bitter blonde in the side, part reprimand, part cue to get back to work. "It's procedure for a reason, Dov; you need to process what happened before they can let you back on the streets."

"I _am_ processing," he informed them, gaze following the blonde back to the stove. "I'm just doing it my own way…"

Gail spooned the meat, then the vegetables, into the pot. "Forgive me if I'm not filled with confidence but your way usually ends with you getting in _more_ trouble." The only uncertainty at that point was in what form the trouble _came_…

Unable to disagree – wishing he _could_ – Dov snarked back, "Your faithless concern is touching – _truly_ – but I'm doing okay."

"Whatever you say, Captain Copasetic," she muttered, not buying it for a second.

Andy lifted an amused eyebrow at the familiarity of the exchange but didn't comment. "You know we're here if you want to talk to a non-stranger, right?"

What was with all this 'we' and 'us' stuff all of a sudden? Shaking her head Gail disputed, "Speak for yourself; I'm more the 'support quietly from afar' type." No 'sharing' required.

"_Very_ 'afar,'" Dov quietly agreed. The extent of her support had been the intermittent 'hang in there' dispatched through Traci that he wasn't even sure _had_ come from her_._

Hearing the hurt behind the declaration Gail turned to him; opened her mouth to deliver an excuse and shut it because there really wasn't one good enough. 'It's just me being me' didn't quite seem to cut it this time…

Dov held her eyes as he waited for whatever quasi-apology she saw fit to make. Everything else aside, it was too big for him to just let go…

The air was crackling again and this time Andy felt like she wasn't even in the room. "Hey – I think I left my cell in your car."

Gail blinked and directed her attention to the brunette. "Expecting a call from the Dalai Lama?" she inquired facetiously, seeing right through the act.

"Uh…" What did that have to do with the price of tea in China? "_No_…"

"Then you'll live for a few hours." Willingly entering the maw of the dragon was one thing, being abandoned there another entirely.

Andy realized too late she could have just gone to the bathroom and they wouldn't even have noticed. "But what if Traci needs us or we get called in or something?"

This time the single entity thing worked to Gail's advantage: "Then whoever needs 'us' will call mine."

_Damn logic._ Knowing she had no choice but to make the blonde _want_ to get rid of her Andy adopted her best and most irritating whine. "But I need _my_ phone, Gail. I feel _naked_ without it…"

Gail raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"_Seriously_," Andy confirmed with a triumphant smirk, gesturing for the keys. They'd both moved on (more or less) – it was _past_ high time they discussed what had happened and put it behind them. And if not? They could enjoy… say… _twenty_ minutes of awkward silence…

Dov never thought he'd see the day Andy out-stubborned Gail but after a brief standoff the keys were changing hands. "She's subtle," he joked once the brunette had disappeared through the door.

"She's _Andy_," Gail sighed, picking up the dirty pans and moving them to the sink. "So are you going to tell me what's really going on?" If she was going to be stuck talking she sure as hell was going to keep the focus off of _her_…

"What do you mean?" He'd fully expected her to ignore Andy's unspoken directive; the question was whether she actually knew something or was just fishing for a different topic.

Gail rolled her eyes and gave him a look she usually reserved for uncooperative witnesses. "I know you're dodging the shrink, Dov…"

Well, that answered _that _question…

* * *

**TBC...**


	2. Chapter 2

**Just a reminder that this was written before I saw episodes 6 & 7 (I'm all caught up now) and while I was crazy tempted to adjust allowing for those episodes I didn't because it would've messed with the original tone. You'll just have to bear with me, please.**

**And even though I did enjoy the episodes (for the most part) I kinda wish I hadn't watched them, because:**

**1. They make this story completely wrong and obsolete and I hate posting knowing that**

**2. I'm hella confused about some things (like the Gail/Nick relationship), thinking I missed an episode somewhere but knowing development on the show just sucks that much**

**3. I now have a 3x07 follow-up rattling around in my brain demanding to be written. At this rate God Help Her won't be updated until hiatus lol**

**Picks up from the end of the last chapter with a little bit of overlap...**

**Thanks for reading!**

* * *

"So are you going to tell me what's really going on?" If Gail was going to be stuck talking she sure as hell was going to keep the focus off of _her_…

"What do you mean?" He'd fully expected her to ignore Andy's unspoken directive; the question was whether she actually knew something or was just fishing for a different topic.

Gail rolled her eyes and gave him a look she usually reserved for uncooperative witnesses. "I know you're dodging the shrink, Dov." Three missed appointments as of yesterday, nothing rescheduled as of today.

Of course she did – his file was probably sitting on her dad's desk. "Are you keeping tabs on me?"

"Are you dodging the question?" she countered, dodging the question. It didn't matter _how_ she knew, only that there was something _to _know. And that the brass wasn't very happy about it… "If you keep bucking procedure they're going to have no choice but to write you up."

There was a note of warning in her voice, and Dov chose to think she was telling him her 'quiet support from afar' could only do so much. "I know. It's just…" He trailed off, unable to put it into words.

Hopping up to sit on the counter Gail carefully proposed, "Do you not _want_ to come back?" He wouldn't be the first to develop a serious case of 'gun-shy' after what he'd been through, or the first to not want to recognize it.

Dov shook his head. "I _do _want to come back." That was just about the only thing he _was _sure of at the moment…

And people said _she _was difficult… "Then _what_?"

Busying himself with filling the sink he bit the bullet and muttered, "I've been seeing Tyler's sister."

"What?" Gail demanded instinctively, "_Where_?" Considering his track record she wouldn't put it past him to actually be _dating_ the sister if not for Sue…

"At the memorial outside the store…" Dov didn't know why he was telling her – if it was because her opinion didn't really matter or because it was the only one that really _did _– but it felt good to get it off his chest. _Sorta_… Shrugging like it was no big deal he finished, "And then yesterday at their place when I was dropping stuff off."

Gail groaned. "_Dov_…" When was he going to learn that nothing good ever came from stalking civilians?

"I had to do _something_," he snapped, the disappointment she managed to convey in that one word putting him on the defensive. "Talking to a shrink isn't going to change what I did." Any more than it had been able to bring Adam back…

Raising her voice to be heard over the angry clattering of pans she argued, "Neither is bringing the pissed off family _groceries_…" It might get a complaint filed against him, though; his talent for exacerbating a situation with nothing but the best of intentions never ceased to amaze her.

Dov stilled his hands; finally met her eyes, begging her with his own to understand. "But it's all I _can_ do…"

_Oh, Dov._ She was torn between the need to make him see the possible consequences (somehow _without_ calling him an idiot) and not wanting to kick him when he was down. Rationalizing that he wouldn't listen _anyway_ she sighed, "Did it help at least?"

"I don't know," he admitted quietly, going back to the dishes. "But I got to explain to her why I had no choice."

"I'm sure she _loved_ hearing he got what he deserved…" Gail really should have known that 'seeing' was more than just 'in passing;' another _glaring_ example of his inability to respect boundaries…

The judgment in her tone was unmistakable. "It wasn't _like_ that. She _wanted_ to know what happened…"

Even if the girl _had_, in Gail's experience the ones who asked for the truth were the ones least satisfied when they got it. It was why she was such a firm proponent of 'ignorance is bliss'… "Look – I know you have this obsession with making everything right but what if all you're doing is making things worse?"

Dov turned to her, brow furrowed. "I killed her brother – how could I possibly make things _worse_?"

Gail considered backpedaling but didn't think enabling the fantasy would do him any good. "Maybe she needs to be able to hate you to get through this and you're taking that away from her." Lowering her voice to an unthreatening whisper she finished, "And maybe you'd be able to _see_ that if you weren't so riddled with guilt over doing to her what Adam did to you…"

"_What_?" If Dov had felt like she'd slapped him earlier, now it was as though she'd slid a blade between his ribs and directly into a lung.

Enabling or not, the devastation written on his face had Gail rushing to rescind her own half-baked theory. "Don't listen to me, Dov; I'm just a sociopath who doesn't care _who_ hates her." And quite possibly didn't want to be the _only_ one who couldn't seem to let go of the past… Dipping the wooden spoon in the pot she held it out to him. "Here – tell me if it's good."

He looked at her like she'd grown a second head. "Did you really just ask me to taste your _sauce_?"

Gail dropped the utensil back onto the plate and held her hands up in surrender. "What the hell do I know, anyway? Yesterday I had to ask Chris for _relationship_ advice…"

And _twist _went the knife… Two thoughts ran through Dov's head in quick succession: that the mystery of Chris' change of heart (and absence) had been painfully solved, and that her referring to it as a relationship (and debasing herself to ask for advice) meant it was a hell of a lot more serious than her fling with Callaghan had been.

The moment the words left her mouth Gail had regretted them. She hadn't yet decided how (or how _much_) to tell the boys about Nick and their history but that definitely would _not_ have been it. In all honesty she'd been hoping Andy would spill the beans so she wouldn't have to do it at all…

After a moment of uneasy silence – waiting for her to elaborate or downplay it or _something – _Dov willed his voice steady to prompt, "Who is it?"

Once again Gail felt like a fish out of water, mouth opening only to immediately shut, lips pursed tightly. The peal of the doorbell became her salvation and she slid off the counter, turning to the pot to taste it herself. "You should probably go let Andy in." _So I can murder her…_

He stared at her back for a prolonged second before going to buzz the brunette in; lingered at the door because, between the Adam thing and the relationship thing, he needed some time to process.

As soon as Andy walked into the apartment she could feel the tension again; worse than before, even. Holding up her cell she meekly announced, "Got it."

"I'm going to go set up the movie," Dov told her, heading off into his room.

Andy blinked at him then went to join the blonde in the kitchen. "Okay – what the heck did I miss?"

Gail wasn't at all surprised Dov had failed to return. Reaching into the cupboard for the sugar she promised, "You're going to miss your next birthday if you leave me alone again. I told you this was a bad idea." She'd been planning on ditching it altogether until the brunette had called looking for a ride. Just more proof that the girl was the root of all evil…

"It was _your _idea, remember?" Though Andy was sure she didn't _want_ to... "You wouldn't have suggested it if some part of you didn't want to be here."

Well, then she was a rare breed of _masochistic_ sociopath… "I would have suggested Chris just take him to a strip joint if I hadn't been afraid both your prude heads would explode…"

Andy rolled her eyes. "Why can't you just admit you care?"

Because she was already riding a very fine line between 'okay' and 'not okay' – pretending like it wasn't killing her just to be there – and her life was really _not_ supposed to resemble a god-damned soap opera... "As soon as this thing's in the oven I'm outta here," she decided, feeling the tell-tale stinging of tears. "You can get one of the boys to drive you home later."

Hearing a tremor in the blonde's voice Andy realized that whatever she'd missed – whatever she'd _forced_ – had done a hell of a lot more harm than good. "_Gail_…"

"Hey," Chris greeted, coming up behind them.

Swiping an inconspicuous hand across her cheeks Gail repeated, "Hey." She would wonder how he'd managed to get the drop on them but she was so far off her game he probably could have come down the fume hood without her noticing.

"Hi." Andy positioned herself between them to give Gail a minute. It worked for about two seconds before Chris bypassed her to help himself to the blonde's spoon.

"Mmm…" She hadn't cooked often but when she _did_… Leaning over her for another taste he admitted, "I didn't think you'd come."

Gail snatched the spoon back and lightly rapped his knuckles with it. "Why not?" _'Cause you unceremoniously kicked me out just a few months ago?_

Chris forced a casual shrug; licked the sauce from his hand. "I figured you'd be busy." He tried hard not to take the fact that she _was _there as a sign…

She couldn't tell if he meant busy busy or _conveniently_ busy. "Yeah, well, the consequences of excessive drinking clearly extend beyond the hangover itself. Lesson learned."

The implication that she'd much rather be elsewhere killed Chris' renewed hope and had him biting off, "Don't act like you're doing us any favors…"

Andy's brow furrowed, confused because she'd thought the pair had called a truce.

"Uh…" Gail murmured, head tilted, "did I miss something?" They'd been fine yesterday and barely seen each other since…

Moving to get a beer out of the fridge Chris dryly noted, "Apparently not."

Gail bit the inside of her lip, sensing that the rebuffed invitation to the Penny had been about rekindling more than just their friendship.

Coming into the kitchen mid stare-off Dov lifted a curious eyebrow. "What's going on?"

"_Apparently_ Chris is as fickle a BFF as he was a BF," Gail half-heartedly sniped, picking up her purse. "I'm just gonna go." Before she had to grow a _new_ foot just to insert it into her mouth…

Andy glanced between her friends, trying to find a way to calm the choppy waters. Not sure there even _was _one…

Chris knew that if they were going to have any chance at all he needed to make amends before it became another overreaction he couldn't take back. "Gail…"

"Chris, _it's fine_." It wasn't his fault she'd reached her daily limit of awkward and painful… Because she wouldn't be her if she _didn't_, on her way out she offered a deceptively even, "Between the three of you I'm sure you can figure out the directions on the pasta box."

With a sympathetic glance at his best friend Dov followed the blonde into the hallway. "Gail, wait…"

"What do you want, Dov?" she sighed as she faced him. "This obviously isn't working." She had one of them looking at her like she'd crossed a sacred line when _he'd_ crossed the biggest line there was, and the other acting like she owed him something when she'd done everything she possibly _could_ – short of nailing herself to a bloody cross – atoning for sins she hadn't even committed.

Reaching out he tugged the bag from her shoulder. "Well, it's not gonna stop _being_ weird if you keep walking away _because_ it's weird…" Accepting it was time to move on (whether you wanted to or not) and figuring out _how_ seemed to be the overall theme of the evening.

It would appear it was _his_ turn to dispense a kernel of inconvenient truth; Gail would be lying if she said she wasn't anxious for things to go back to normal (the continued avoiding and evading and pretending was _exhausting_) but still… "We'll work on it at the Penny or something, okay? This…" She waved a shaky hand towards the apartment. "This is just…"

…_torture?_ It was the first indication she'd given that she wasn't wholly unaffected by being there but Dov knew better than to make a big deal of it. "I have to say…" Leaning against the wall he stuck his hands in his pockets, her purse dangling carelessly from a wrist. "…I didn't think you'd let a little awkwardness chase you off. Especially since making people uncomfortable is _your_ favorite pastime…"

Gail lifted an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest; refrained from pointing out that he wasn't exactly a stranger to creating uncomfortable situations _himself_. "You think calling me a coward and a hypocrite is gonna get me to stay?" He would have been better off with just the 'coward' part.

Dov shrugged. "You called me selfish and delusional and I'm still _asking_ you to stay…" Suspecting it made him sound pathetic he qualified, "But only so I don't have to spend dinner listening to the Bobbsey twins talk about puppies and rainbows…"

As amusing as the argument was it wasn't nearly as _convincing_, in any sense of the word, and she wondered aloud, "And I would want to make your life easier, _why_?" Lord knew it wasn't a quid pro quo thing…

_Uh… _Giving her his most boyish grin Dov promised, "Because in return you get to enjoy a very _satisfying_ Caped Crusader marathon…"

"Batman? _Seriously_?" Gail was sure there was a rational explanation for his choice that didn't involve him being in her head (or vice versa); there was _no _explanation – rational or otherwise – for him thinking it would close the deal…

And that wasn't _quite_ the enthusiasm he'd been hoping for… "Chris mentioned it last night and I figured 'why not?' We haven't done it since…"

"I think I'm gonna pass," she interrupted hoarsely, advancing to reclaim her purse. She didn't need to be reminded how long it had been any more than she could forget why they _didn't_ anymore, and what had seemed harmless yesterday now felt like salt in a wound that had been slapped with a Band-Aid but never allowed to heal.

Dov could have kicked himself for the misstep; let her take the strap but didn't relinquish his hold. "Gail…"

"Dov, _let go_." She didn't have the energy to raise her voice much less engage in tug-o-war.

Playing the only card he had left he quietly told her, "'Returns' is already in the player…" It had seemed only fitting, given the circumstances, and it just so happened to also be her favorite.

Gail's resistance wavered – as much from his annoyingly draining persistence as from the unexpected thoughtfulness – but she managed to remain unmoved. "_So_?"

"Come on, Gail," he coaxed, sensing hesitation in the delayed response. "You know you can't deny the allure of Catwoman…"

Was Catwoman the only rootable female in all the thirty thousand Batman movies polluting the earth? _Easily_. Was she worth walking back into that apartment for? "I think you're confusing me with _you_," Gail hedged, eyebrow lifted wryly.

Sometimes she was as predictable as the rising sun… Holding her gaze – grip tight on the prize so she couldn't flee – Dov allowed, "Maybe; I do seem to have a weakness for that particular combination of snarky and kickass…"

Gail closed her eyes for an instant; reopened them to sigh, "_Dov_…"

"Too bad it always comes with a side of _bat_shit crazy…" he concluded as though she hadn't spoken.

His cheeky grin told Gail he was immensely proud of himself; for the bad pun or the perfect set-up/ consequent smack-down (or _both_) she wasn't sure. "Ha ha ha. You're _hilarious_…"

When she released the bag to punch his arm Dov knew he'd won. He celebrated with a smug (yet sincere), "_Thank you._"

The arrogance earned him another punch and a dismissive, "You're just lucky I have a thing for Michelle Pfeiffer…" It had nothing whatsoever – not even a teensy little bit – to do with how much she might have missed _their _version of normal…

"Who _doesn't_ have a thing for Michelle Pfeiffer?" he '_duh_'ed, heading back down the hallway; knowing she'd follow.

Gail pursed her lips at his presumption but started after him anyway. "The purse suits you, by the way," she deadpanned, "Really brings out your eyes…"

"You think so?" Pausing in the open doorway Dov hooked it on his shoulder and jutted a hip. "'Cause I feel like it makes me look fat…" He was rewarded with her first genuine smile of the night.

"You're such an idiot," she chuckled despite her plan to take him down a peg having backfired; pushed him into the apartment ahead of her.

"Welcome back." Andy was more than a little relieved the blonde had chosen to stay on her own.

Gail's laughter tapered off as she glanced around. "Where's Chris?" Considering his intentions she thought it would probably be prudent to tell him about Nick now, before he found out from someone else.

"He said he was going to get changed." Andy wasn't sure she believed him, though; Gail seemed to have a talent for sending the boys hiding, at least briefly, in their bedrooms.

Deciding knocking on his door to chat about her love life would be unnecessarily awkward (and maybe a tad cruel) Gail just nodded. No time like the future…

Andy watched the blonde disappear into the kitchen before turning to Dov with a quirked eyebrow. "That's a good look for you."

"So I've been told," he grinned, flipping inexistent hair.

"So everything's okay?" It was semi-rhetorical, more a question of whether the 'okay' was permanent or a temporary cease-fire.

Depositing the bag on the chair Dov shrugged, "Getting there." Obviously they still had some issues to work through – he was beginning to think they'd _never_ address what had happened (or hadn't happened) that night – but it felt like a start at least.

"Good." Andy gave his arm a supportive squeeze as he passed her to join the blonde. She had no idea how Gail was going to reconcile a relationship with Nick and friendships with the 'exes' who didn't appear to be quite over her, but that was a problem for another day.

"_Hey, Dov?"_

"_Yeah?"_

"_I'm slaving over a hot stove making your dinner – think you can get off your ass and fix me a frosty drink?"_

"_Of course, princess; how terribly inconsiderate of me not to have offered before…"_

Andy smiled, having no trouble picturing the eye roll implied in Dov's tone. Taking the keys from her pocket she dropped them back in Gail's purse before going to get Chris.


End file.
